Have mercy: Blue Devils bury Silver Streaks with first-half onslaught, Little throws seven TD passes

QUINCY — The halftime instructions were simple and succinct.

Don’t be lollygaggers.

Having built a 56-5 lead over Galesburg by intermission Friday night, the Quincy High School football team’s starters were told they wouldn’t be taking a snap in the second half.

Although this was the fourth time in six games the Blue Devils have invoked the mercy rule — the clock runs continuously in the second half when a team leads by 40 or more points — it was the first time it started with the third-quarter kickoff.

“Weird,” senior right tackle Conner Cox said. “You feel relaxed like you’re not even in a game. I remember walking out there and being like, ‘Man, I should be playing. What’s going on?’ It’s one of the weirdest feelings you can have when you’ve prepared so hard.”

By no means, though, did that suggest the starters’ night was through.

The QHS coaching staff implored everyone to stay engaged, which led to a lively and energetic sideline for the final 24 minutes of a 56-19 homecoming victory in Western Big 6 Conference play at Flinn Stadium.

“That’s my big thing and they know that,” QHS coach Rick Little said. “At halftime, we talked about that. It was like, ‘Don’t you dare, for one second, not be engaged.’ They did a great job. That’s big. That’s important to me. It’s all about team, always team.

“The guys get it. I don’t know if I even had to prompt them. I thought they did a really good job of staying engaged. That’s part of being special, making sure you value the contributions of everyone and support everyone.”

Still, no one prepares all week to play only 24 minutes and then take a seat.

“It’s a very weird feeling,” QHS senior linebacker Drennan Carver said. “We’ve had it during other games where we won’t come back out for the fourth quarter, so this wasn’t that much of a difference. But it was still weird.”

It was made possible by the dynamic production of the offense, which scored eight touchdowns on 23 first-half plays.

A majority of those plays occurred in Galesburg territory thanks to the stout play of Quincy’s defense. The Silver Streaks finished with 210 total yards, but just 83 of those came from their starters. 

“I like the way we came downhill and tackled,” said Carver, who had three tackles. “We stayed aggressive.”

That afforded the defense to watch the offense pile up points.

After forcing Galesburg to punt on the game’s opening possession and seeing Adon Byquist return it into Silver Streaks’ territory, the Blue Devils (6-0, 4-0 WB6) needed just one play to score as Jeraius Rice Jr. took a pass out of the backfield and raced up the right sideline for a 33-yard touchdown.

The onslaught had started.

Tykell Hammers made a tremendous catch along the sideline on Quincy’s next possession to set up a 25-yard touchdown strike from Bradyn Little to Caeden Johannessen, who made a sterling catch near the pylon at the front corner of the end zone.

“It makes me more confident with them that no matter where I put the football they are going to make the play,” Bradyn Little said.

They are the type of plays the coaching staff admires from the sideline, too.

“I’m like, ‘That’s a good throw. That’s good coverage. Oh, that’s a great catch,’” Rick Little said. “Look at Tykell’s catch. The throw was right there. The coverage was right there. And he makes a great catch. They have the presence of mind and the concentration to make those plays.

“There were so many well executed plays. That’s a credit to the work they put in.”

Bradyn Little threw two more touchdown passes — a 13-yarder to Hammers and a 15-yard to Rice — before the first quarter ended. He tossed three more touchdown passes in the second quarter, setting the program’s single-game record for touchdown throws.

The junior quarterback finished 15 of 17 for 269 yards and seven touchdowns — all in the first half.

“All the weapons we have and the protection we have up front made it possible,” Bradyn Little said. “Getting set up with good field position and in good situations matters.”

Rice scored Quincy’s other touchdown on a 56-yard run as he finished with 156 yards rushing on six carries. He also caught three passes for 67 yards and three scores. Johannessen caught three passes for 98 yards and three scores.

It marked the fifth time this season the Blue Devils have scored 41 or more points.

“You just want to get back out there,” Cox said. “You put up big points and it’s like, ‘I want to do it again and again.’ I don’t even know how to accurately describe it. It’s just awesome.”

The defense doesn’t mind the quick turnaround either.

“Oh, yeah, we’re ready,” Carver said. “We prepare for that.”